I.

OBJECTIVE
1. Practice of law means the application of the law and its procedures into a court,
counselling, teaching and other means of rendering service of legal knowledge.
2. Disbar is a means of expelling a lawyer’s right to practice law. It is where the
lawyer is removed from the Bar and Roll of Attorneys.
Debar is a means to prohibit the right of a lawyer to practice.
Disrobe is a means to remove one’s position as a judge but not necessarily expel
him to practice his law profession.
3. A non-lawyer may practice law through the following circumstances:
(a.) Through a legal aid program provided that the law student completed third year
of the regular four-year prescribed law curriculum and is enrolled in a recognized law
school’s clinical legal education program approved by the Supreme Court.
(b.) A party to a litigation in person OR through the aid of an agent or friend
appointed by him for that purpose in cases which the MTC has jurisdiction.
(c.) A party to the litigation before any other court.
(d.) In criminal cases before the MTC and a duly licensed member of the Bar is not
available, the court may appoint any person of good repute for probity and ability in the
province to defend the accused.
(e.) Under the Cadastral Act, any person can represent himself or a claimant before
the Cadastral Court.
(f.) Any person appointed to appear for the Government of the Philippines in
accordance with law.
4. The following are the Philippine requirements for admission to practice law:
a. Filipino citizen
b. atleast 21 years of age
c. Philippine resident
d. A person of good moral character
e. There must be no history of charges involving moral turpitude
f. Has the required educational qualifications such as completion of high school
degree, bachelor’s degree holder in arts and sciences and completed a four-year degree in
law with completed courses in specific law subjects
5. In the history of “take up the cudgels” it explains the common way of defending one’s self
which is a trial by combat. A person hires a fighter to represent him in a battle. In relating it
to the practice of law, a person hires a lawyer to represent his rights in a court in order for
that person to be defended. The lawyer then willingly pick up the weapon which is the law
to fight for his client’s defense.
6. Attorney is a person who obtained a legal qualification and has had the required training
to give a legal advice.
A barrister is a qualified legal professional and a member of the bar who offers specialist
advice while representing, advocating and defending its clients in a court.
A Solicitor is a qualified legal practitioner who review judgement of courts and/or think
of issues that can be a subject for a debate in a court.

7. The Student Practice Rule is a program in all law school with Law Clinic in the
Philippines to expose and educate law students in court appearances, drafting and
submission of pleadings and documents, legal counselling and advice, and such other
activities that may be covered by the Clinical Legal Education Program law schools. It
engage law students in promoting social justice for the marginalized sector.

8. A serif font is the one with serif which has a decorative strokes in each letters such as
Times New Roman, Cambria, Book Antiqua and the likes. These type of fonts looks more
formal.
A sans-serif font is the one that without any extra strokes in each letters such as Arial,
Comic Sans, Calibri and the likes.

9. In emphasizing a point in legal writing, italics is more preferred than underline for the
reason that it does not blend or delete any stroke of letters avoiding confusion of the
readers.

10. A Philippine lawyer who had been naturalized as a US citizen can practice law in the
Philippines by the following requirements:
(a) Take an oath of allegiance renouncing his US citizenship pursuant to Republic
Act (RA) 9225 or the Citizenship Retention and Re-Acquisition of 2003.
(b) Apply with the proper authority for a license or permit to engage in the practice
of law.
 (c) Restore good standing as member of the Philippine Bar through paying his
annual taxes and membership, complete a mandatory learning education and retake the
lawyer’s oath.